


Just One of the Rebounders

by Xenoprime1337



Category: Huniepop & Huniecam (Video Games)
Genre: Dating, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Magic Revealed, Psychoanalysis, Religion
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-14 15:03:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18950515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xenoprime1337/pseuds/Xenoprime1337
Summary: The moment he gave up on love, Dan was designated as a Rebounder. In the wake of a crushing break-up, he's asking some hard questions about his future. Luckily, a love fairy has been assigned to his case, one that will help him get back into the love game and find the wife he desires.If he accepts her help, that is.Strong language, OCs and cheese await you. Set in the canon.





	1. The End

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my fourth fanfiction on this site. 
> 
> This is a weird concept, but I'm going to take the world and lore of a dating sim universe seriously. What does that entail? Let's find out.
> 
> The main difference from this story and its source material are the locale and the main character. The main character is not a template for immersion; he's not a blank slate that you're supposed to identify with. He has a backstory, motivations, and flaws. This is not a Reader X Character story. (Be honest, there are enough of those out there already.) 
> 
> This is an OC story set in the universe of the canon, and for that reason, the premise and mechanics are very much the same. There's going to be a guy who needs some romantic guidance, and a love fairy is going to help him out. This time, however, that guy gets a name and a backstory in addition to a wingman, and the rules are slightly different.
> 
> Then there's the locale. This story is set in a place of my creation that was modeled after the setting of the original game, though this one is set in the United States...just to be specific. Seriously, I do not know where the original game is meant to take place. Anyway, I wanted my story's setting to mirror the setting of the original game, but I also didn't want it to be an exact copy. Thus, while some things are the same, some things are new and different. Variety is the spice of life, after all. And, in case you're wondering, this is an OC story. I have created fifteen girls for the main character to date. There are fifteen characters that you can date in the original game. I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this.
> 
> So, there you have it. An OC story that wants to make a story out of a dating simulator. I'm not really sure how this is going to go or how it's going to end. Maybe you guys can help me make this roller coaster ride more fun. Your input might change the outcome of a date, decide how a character reacts to a certain statement, or create new and interesting plot twists I never thought of! Don't be afraid to read, review, and leave suggestions. Everything you say will be taken into account, especially if it's constructive criticism or suggestions for the story's plot line. Also, no canon characters will appear in this story. Sorry, but keep an eye out for references and nods to the canon!
> 
> I'm pumped! Are you pumped? Yeah, you're pumped! Let's go!

This isn't the beginning of a story. It's the end of another story, a story where I had a girlfriend...back when everything in my life made sense.

My name is Dan, and _her_ name...was Eveline Masters.

She was as beautiful as a girl could be, with long walnut-colored hair and hazel eyes. I'd been dating her for almost two years. I thought we were perfect for each other. I even asked her to be my wife. But two nights later, before I could even think about where my life was headed or where I would be without her, I came home early from work to our—I mean, _my_ —apartment to find her sleeping with another man.

I was shocked. It was Jerry Carter, my roommate from my junior year of college. There he was, lying next to my fiancée in my bed.

Needless to say, I was pretty upset. I chased Jerry out of my apartment with a broom and had a very heated argument with Evie about our relationship, my proposal to her, her betrayal, everything.

After several minutes of listening to her try and make excuses and blame everything on me, I told her to get the hell out; out of my apartment, out of my city, and out of my life altogether. She didn't hesitate. She didn't even bother to say goodbye. She just packed up her stuff and ran off with Jerry to Las Vegas, leaving me and Lake View behind just like that.

That was nearly a month ago.

I don't hate Evie for what she did. I'm not that kind of person. I _am_ the kind of person who can be emotionally hurt very easily, though, and I have a bad habit of blaming myself for things that I didn't do. I've been tossing and turning in my sleep since that night I found her with Jerry, wondering what I could have done differently.

I kept telling myself that I wasn't handsome enough, that I wasn't really her boyfriend or her fiancé, that I was just too blind to see what she really was. It took me a while to realize that this whole thing wasn't my fault, but even then, I still had doubts.

_Was I wrong to send her away? Could I have done anything to prevent this from happening? Will I ever love again?_

These were the questions that were stuck on repeat in my head as I sat in Jessie's Bar and Lounge late one Wednesday night, fiddling with the black plastic straw jutting out of my glass of ice water. The vintage jukebox wedged behind the bar had gone through about half of its records, and was currently letting a particularly sad song filter through the air.

I tried my best not to listen. The last thing I needed was an insult to go along with my injury. I didn't even want to drink my water, or anything else. I was perfectly fine with poking at my straw, wasting away under the dim lighting of the lounge, invisible to anyone who happened to glance my way.

Well, invisible to everyone except D, that is.

I've known D for a long time. We grew up together, and we've been best friends for as long as I can remember. I knew D as Danny when we were kids, but when we got into high school, everything changed.

See, D and I have the same first name: Dan. Before freshman year, I had made a point to be called by my legal name, which is Daniel. D stuck with Danny so no one would get confused, including the two of us. Everything changed when one of our teachers, who arbitrarily gives nicknames to everyone that comes through his classroom, shortened both of our names to simply D.

Despite our best efforts, the monikers stuck. Because everyone knew we were best friends, D and I got a lot of nicknames as a pair; Double D, DD, and D&D, just to name a few. Before long, I started calling him D and vice versa. It's been that way ever since.

Neither I nor D ever left Lake View. When I went to study at Slate Lake University, D started training to be a bartender. By the time I got out with a bachelor's in Art, English, and Art History, D had taken ownership of Jessie's. The rest, as they say, is history.

It had been a while since I had last visited D's workplace. Swearing off alcohol was part of that, but I didn't come to D's neck of the woods unless I needed someone to talk to. Considering I had been moping around for the last month or so thinking about Evie, I figured coming down to Jessie's wouldn't do me any harm. That didn't mean I wasn't reluctant to open up about what had happened. I just...hadn't quite gotten over it yet.

That didn't stop D from asking about it, though. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he approached, a confident air about him as always was the case. He hadn't changed at all since last I saw him. He was tall, just a touch taller than me, with dark skin and dark green eyes.

It was no surprise to see he was wearing the all-black uniform of Jessie's Bar and Lounge, nor was it a surprise to see him wearing his favorite black baseball cap, which was pulled tightly over his shaved head. His dark mustache and goatee were well groomed, and while he wasn't as lean as he had been in high school, he definitely made up for that with pure muscle mass.

Upon seeing me in my sad state, half-buried in my arms with a gloomy look on my face, he just shook his head and smiled. "Jesus, D. I haven't seen you this down in a while." He braced one of his massive arms on the polished mahogany of the bar and got comfortable. It was painfully obvious that he knew exactly why I had come here. "Hell, I don't think I've ever seen you this down. What, did someone somewhere kill all the cute dogs in the world?"

Despite myself, I let out a soft chuckle. D knew better than anyone that I'm a dog person. "No," I replied with a grim smile, "If that were the case, I wouldn't be here. I'd be curled up in a ball in my closet asking God why He'd do such a thing."

D laughed out loud. "Ain't that the truth!" He kept laughing. I sat up in my chair and went back to poking at my straw, my smile fading as quickly as it had appeared. Seeing this, D stopped laughing. "Who gave you that ice water?"

I didn't move an inch. "Kyle, just before she left." Kyle was how everyone referred to Theresa Kyle, one of D's employees. She worked the pre-graveyard shift every other weekday and the actual graveyard shift every Sunday to pay bills and try to help her son through college. Being a single parent was rough. "I ordered it about fifteen minutes ago," I added, my eyes glued to the bar.

"That explains why it's mostly water now," he said. "You gonna drink it?"

I shrugged. It was all the answer he needed.

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah. It's that bad."

D opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by someone asking for him. He gave me a hand gesture that said 'gimme a minute' and moved to make them a drink. After a few minutes, he came back, cleaning a dirty mug with the rag he kept on his belt. Neither of us spoke. I kept poking at my water straw and he stuck to cleaning his mug.

"What happened, man?" he said finally, setting down the now-clean mug. "And don't say nothin' happened, 'cause you wouldn't be here if nothin' happened," he added sharply.

I let out a long, miserable sigh. "She's gone, D."

D raised an eyebrow at that. "Who? Your momma? I didn't think smoking would kill her _that_ quickly."

"No, not her. Evie."

"What happened?" he asked, this time with more feeling.

"I...I..." I couldn't bring myself to say it. Part of me still didn't want to believe it, couldn't admit it. I bit my lip. Hard. The truth hurt, but I knew holding it in would only make it hurt more. For a moment, there was only silence. Then I admitted it, the words leaving my mouth in an unforgiving rush. "I caught her with another man."

"Shit..." D folded his arms purposefully, mulling over my revelation with a cross look on his face. "No wonder I haven't seen you and her around lately," he said after a while. "When did this all go down?"

"Little under a month ago."

His head turned on a swivel. "For real?"

I nodded.

"Fuck," he said flatly. "And right after you proposed, too. You should have come to me sooner."

I shook my head. "I needed time to think things over. I've prayed about it, but...I'm still not sure what to do. I feel like the groom from that Panic! At The Disco song..."

D leaned on the bar again, bracing his chin on his fist. "You've read the good book. You know damn well that nobody's perfect."

"Yeah, me included."

"So? You can't keep baggin' on yourself like that, man. This ain't your fault."

I shook my head. "I know it's not my fault. I just can't help but feel like I did something wrong."

"You can't blame yourself for somethin' you didn't do! That's just askin' for trouble. You know what you _can_ do? You can find somebody new."

I knew what D was going to say next, so I decided to say it for him. "There's plenty of fish in the sea."

"Exactly!" D exclaimed, involuntarily throwing his arms in the air. "Evie cheated on you, and I know that's rough, but you gotta look at the positives. You know what I think? I think that this is God's way of telling you she ain't the one. Things could have been a lot worse, man. Sure, you proposed to her, but you didn't marry her. If you had married Evie, it probably wouldn't have been long before you caught her cheating ass anyway. This is a sign!"

"Sure it is," I said dismissively.

"Don't give me that. You know, there are lots of ladies out there who could dig a handsome, smart, compassionate dude like you. Hell, I bet you could find a new soulmate right here in Lake View!"

"As if it'll be that easy," I muttered under my breath.

The words had barely left my lips when I was approached by a young woman with long jet black hair tied into a ponytail. She stood beside me for a few moments, which prompted me to turn back and look at her, though it took a lot of effort.

She looked to be about my age, with jade eyes and ivory skin. She wore black skinny jeans held up by a studded white belt, and a purple off-the-shoulder top that was practically falling off her left shoulder. The top had a marbled white and lilac graphic on the front that was shaped like a heart, and a pair of large gold hoop earrings dangled down from her earlobes.

I blinked. What could a woman like her possibly want with a guy like me? I couldn't think of a reason. Still, it didn't look like she was leaving anytime soon. Not wanting to let her just stand there, but slightly annoyed that my therapy session with D was being interrupted, I decided to do the polite thing and address her.

"Can I help you?" I asked, sounding more cross than I felt.

She gave me a smile before saying, "Not really. I was just wondering if I could sit with you."

I turned and looked around. It didn't seem like this was a prank or some kind of setup, not if the lack of people in my general area was any indication. I looked to D for help, but he merely gave me a grin before he walked off to help another customer. _Thanks a lot_ , I thought. I looked back at the girl. She was very patiently waiting for me to answer, still smiling as she had been.

To my eternal surprise, I caved in.

"Why not?" I said finally, "It's a free country. Have a seat."

She thanked me and quickly took the seat next to mine. Seeing this, D meandered his way back over to us to ask her if she wanted anything. She ordered a gin and tonic, handing him the cash to pay for it immediately. D took a moment to count it before moving to the shelves to get what he needed to make her drink, motioning to the girl with his head as if to say 'talk to her' as he turned away.

It wasn't at all subtle, but my new friend didn't seem to mind him. Not willing to put in more effort than what was necessary, I opened with the most basic yet most important question you can ask someone.

"So," I began, "Do you have a name?"

"Of course," she said sweetly. "How silly of me. I haven't even introduced myself. My name is Vye."

This confused me. "V? Like the letter?"

She just laughed. "No, but I get that a lot. It's spelled V-Y-E, but it's pronounced like V."

"Interesting," I said with a flat smile. "I hope you don't mind me saying this, but with a name like that, you sound like an anime character."

That got another laugh out of her. "I get that a lot, too," she admitted, returning my smile with one of her own.

Just then, D set Vye's drink down on the coaster closest to her. She thanked him and took a careful sip, mindful of the lime wedge that was perched on the rim of her glass. I took a sip of my water as D once again gestured toward Vye. I rolled my eyes and waved him away with my hand.

_Geez_ _,_ I thought, _You_ _didn't have to be so obvious about it._

Still, I had to admit, things were going smoothly. Surprisingly smoothly. The fact that I could get this girl to laugh was a good sign, but I couldn't help but feel like this whole encounter was a setup. Before I had a chance to dwell on it, however, Vye pulled me out of my head by turning my question around on me.

"So, who do I have the pleasure of sitting next to tonight?" she asked.

I blinked. "My name's Dan," I said, my composure returning in an instant. "Dan Hartigan." I held out my hand for her to take, and when she took it, I shook it gently.

"A pleasure," Vye said with a smile.

"Likewise." I retracted my hand. She took another small sip of her gin and tonic. I poked at my straw, still looking at her. It bothered me that she had come out of nowhere just to sit down and talk to me. Who was she? What was she after? Why talk to me, of all people? I could only hope that the answers to these questions would become clear as we continued our conversation. I didn't want to have to ask her directly.

She looked to me with concern in her jade eyes. "How are you doing tonight? You seem a little down," she said, no doubt noticing my tired countenance, my slumped shoulders, my sad eyes.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked almost jokingly. Vye's silence was enough of an answer. The ghost of a smile I knew I was wearing faded instantly. "To be honest, I'm not exactly peachy," I admitted with a sigh. "Things have been really... _difficult_ for me lately."

Vye nodded. "I understand. Is that why you came here? To drink your sorrows away?"

I chuckled, despite myself. "No. Not unless drinking ice water at the bar counts as drinking one's sorrows away. I swore off alcohol before I was even old enough to drink it."

"Then why?"

"That big guy behind the bar is a buddy of mine." I nodded toward D for emphasis. "I thought I'd come by and talk to him about the problems I've been having."

"What kind of problems?"

I shook my head. "Personal problems. I don't want to get into it."

"That's fair, I suppose." Vye took a moment to finish her drink before turning back to me. "Do you have a girlfriend, Dan?"

"Why do you ask?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

She just shrugged. "I'm curious."

I braced my chin on my fist and took a moment to gather my thoughts before answering. After a while, I said, "I did have a girlfriend. I almost had a wife. I don't have either, now. Such is life."

"Ah, so that's why your friend was gesturing toward me like that." She nodded her head the same way D had before to make sure we were on the same page.

As soon as I understood what she was talking about, I laughed the hardest I had laughed in what felt like ages. Vye laughed too, our voices strangely loud in the relative quiet of Jessie's. I had to force myself to stop laughing so I could catch my breath. "You saw that?" I said, unable to stop myself from chuckling.

"Oh, yeah," she said with a giggle.

"Jeez." I breathed out a sigh. I knew for a fact that I was smiling like an idiot. I felt like an idiot, but, strangely, it wasn't an unwelcome feeling. Instincts kicked in, causing me to reach back and rub the back of my neck with my hand, all but admitting my embarrassment. "I guess the jig is up, then." I threw my hands in the air for emphasis. "I'm single!"

"But, you're not ready to mingle?" she grinned.

"What, are you kidding? I haven't had an engaging discussion like this in weeks."

"So...you _are_ ready to mingle."

"I guess so. Why? Does...does this count as mingling? Is that what we're doing right now?" Vye chuckled, which I took as a sign to push the joke as far as it could go. "Am I mingling with you? Hold on, now, I have to know. How does one _mingle?_ Is there a guide I can read about methods of human communication with a chapter on mingling? It's a...very curious term. Mingling."

When I started exaggerating the syllables of the word 'mingling', Vye just lost it. I smiled. It was getting to that point in the night when tiredness acted as a comedic crutch, when even the simplest of statements could trigger fits of uncontrollable laughter.

Vye quickly became the victim of a late night giggle attack, so much so that it took her a little under five minutes to settle down. I used the time to drink my water, adjust my collar, and fix my hair with my hand. You know, just to make sure everything was in order. I would have straightened my glasses, too, if I hadn't left them at home.

"Are you having fun, Dan?" she said, still somewhat out of breath.

"Why? Are you?" I said with what I knew was a cocky grin.

"Why, yes. Far more than I thought I would, actually."

It was then that I remembered my original concerns with Vye. We had talked for a while, but I still couldn't figure out what her angle was, why she was here talking with me. I decided to stop being indecisive and finally find out, though I didn't ask her directly.

"What were you expecting?" I asked. "I wasn't exactly sunshine and rainbows earlier."

"I didn't know what to expect," she said with a shrug. "But I'm glad I decided to sit next to you."

There. The perfect opportunity to ask the question that had been on my mind since Vye had first approached me. I didn't miss a beat. "Why _did_ you decide to sit and talk with me? Was it a dare? Prank? Pity party? Help me out here."

Vye smiled, but didn't say anything. She looked me up and down, considering me. Then she leaned into the bar and braced her cheek on her fist, drumming her fingers on the wood as she retracted into her thoughts.

I watched as she played with the lime on the rim of her glass, as she swayed in time with the music emanating from the jukebox, as she sighed and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Eventually, she turned back to me with an energy that suggested she had just come to a decision.

"You know, Dan," she said with an earnest look in her eyes, "You're not like most guys."

That remark made me raise an eyebrow, but it didn't stop me from responding. "How do you figure?"

"You're careful...patient...hesitant, too, but only at first. You care deeply about the company you keep, but you're polite enough to accept anyone's company for any amount of time, even a woman you've never met before. It wouldn't matter who I was or what I was after; you would treat me with the utmost respect, just as you have been."

Okay, now things were getting _weird_. All kinds of alarms started going off in my head, mostly because I had never encountered anything like this before. What was she, some kind of fortune teller? I couldn't tell if she was complimenting me, hitting on me, complimenting me _in order_ to hit on me, or if she was luring me into some kind of trap. Never did I think a chance encounter at a bar would take such a strange turn, which was all the more reason to think this was something _other_ than a chance encounter at a bar.

My heart started beating faster of its own volition. I tried to look away from her, but her jade eyes locked mine in place, forcing me to focus on her. Half of me wanted to run away. The other half was too curious to leave. I suddenly found myself unable to speak, unable to do much more than simply tilt my head in what I can only describe as utter confusion.

"You also know what it means to connect with someone," she said, apparently unconcerned by my lack of understanding. "You know what it means to go beyond simple conversation. You go out of your way to make others happy; their happiness makes you happy, even if it's in the tiniest of gestures."

All at once, my days of dating back in college suddenly came flooding to me, all the times I managed to make a girl I was even minutely interested in laugh, all the times I opened a door for them (or, failing that, apologized for missing my opportunity to do so), all the times I had complimented them for no reason other than to see them smile. I could see each moment clearly in my head, almost like I was experiencing them all over again. To my chagrin, a lot of those moments involved Evie. The point still remained, though. She was right.

But she was far from done.

"You're easily hurt, though, "she continued. "Betrayal cuts deeper than any knife, and while you can handle criticism, the worst things said about you often come from your own mouth."

I began to see scenes from my life like I was watching it in a theater, moments from weeks past. I saw myself chasing Jerry Carter out of my apartment with my broom. I saw the anger on my face as I chewed out Evie for cheating on me just after I had asked her to marry me. I saw myself sitting on my bed, crying, throwing pillows at the wall in frustration.

From there, I jumped to about a week previous, when I ran up my water bill standing in a scalding hot shower having an existential crisis. After that came what I could only guess was little over an hour ago, when I walked into Jessie's and ordered my glass of ice water. Then I saw myself talking to D, saying things like 'She's gone, D' and 'I caught her with another man' and 'I just can't help but feel like I did something wrong'. I could hear my own voice so clearly I almost thought it was a recording.

"You were hurt by someone you cared about." Vye's eyes were filled with sadness and sympathy. I was still stunned beyond speech. "That's why you came seeking counsel from a friend," she nodded toward D for emphasis, "That's why you sit at the bar with a glass of water you ordered just so you wouldn't look out of place. That's why you're the only man that isn't looking for a woman to cling to his arm in a place that's full of potential one-night lovers."

It took my brain a moment to recover from what I had just been hit with. I had so many questions, but I only had enough processing power to get out one word.

"How...?" I trailed off uselessly.

Vye just shook her head and gave me a tired, familiar smile. "You're easy to read."

With that, she got up, waved goodbye to D, adjusted the waist of her skinny jeans, and made for the closest exit.

She didn't get far before I got up and ran to catch up to her, calling out for her to wait. I was almost full-sprint by the time she stopped and turned around. I had to stop myself short in order to avoid running right over her. I was suddenly fully aware that I was sweating profusely, my hands shaking, my legs full of pins and needles. I ignored all that and focused all of my attention on her.

"Yes?" she said with a amused lilt.

"Who are you?" I all but blurted out. "Who are you, really?"

She just smiled. "Don't worry. You'll find out soon enough. Good night!"

And just like that, she was gone.

I took a moment to slow my breathing, run my fingers through my hair, and get my feet back underneath me. My mind was buzzing with questions, but I didn't let that freak me out any further than it already had. A few deep breaths later, I finally felt like myself again. I was still beyond concerned with what had just happened, but for the moment, I was alright.

Of course, that's when D had to shout from the bar, "Hey, D! You get her number, or what?!"

* * *

When I got home that night, I felt like I had run a marathon. That, or played one too many rounds of _Overwatch_ Competitive in a row. I almost didn't take a shower just because I was so tired, but one quick sniff of my shirt convinced me otherwise.

It wasn't my fastest shower. A lot of the time was spent letting the hot water rush over me as I let the last few hours run through my head on repeat. When I finally did get out, I stepped into a world of steam. Not willing to try and brush my teeth and shave when I could barely make myself out in the bathroom mirror, I slipped on my pajama pants and flopped unceremoniously into bed.

After trying for several minutes to get comfortable laying atop my covers, I gave up and actually crawled under them, making sure to keep one foot out so I didn't get overheated during the night. I rustled around in my sheets, trying to find the most comfortable position. After a while, I turned over so that I was flat on my back, my eyes on the ceiling.

It suddenly occurred to me that I was somehow too tired to fall asleep. I looked to the clock on my nightstand. 1:06, it read. I looked back to the ceiling. Still blank. I closed my eyes tight, hoping they'd stay shut. No use. I breathed out a long sigh.

It was going to be a rough night.

That's when I remembered that I hadn't said my prayers in a while. Part of me didn't want to expend the energy it would take to express my thoughts and concerns with God, but the rest of me knew that that was just me being lazy. With a sigh, I got up and got myself situated. It took a lot of fidgeting and adjusting, but I eventually got into a position I could call comfortable. I sat up and slumped back into my headboard, my pillow cushioning the small of my back.

Perfect. I closed my eyes and collected my thoughts before I began.

"Dear Lord," I said tiredly, "Please grant me a good night's sleep. I think I'm going to need it," I added with a yawn. I blinked. There was only silence for several minutes. God and I both knew I had something on my mind. _Someone_ on my mind. For once, it wasn't Evie, rather it was a girl with straight black hair and piercing jade eyes. That didn't make it any less difficult to articulate with words.

I breathed a long sigh out through my nose. This next part was going to be difficult. While I knew it was pointless not to voice my feelings to someone who knew my feelings better than me, I was still hesitant to admit what about tonight was bothering me. To make it easier on myself, I decided to make it into a question.

"What the hell happened tonight?" I asked the ceiling, my voice sounding as frustrated and weary as I felt. "Was it...was it some kind of test? Was that your way of telling me it's time to move on? What am I supposed to do? Who _was_ that girl?"

In the aftermath of my divine questionnaire there was only silence, as was to be expected. It wasn't like God was going to speak to me through my ceiling. His answer would make itself clear soon enough, I knew that. Even so, it was driving me insane. The fact that my fiancée had been cheating on me with my old college roommate was hard to swallow, but the fact that God might be telling me to pick up the pieces and find someone else was just as daunting.

_Was D right? Is He really telling me that Evie wasn't the right person, and that I should find someone else? Do I even have it in me to find someone else?_

These were the questions I was asking myself as I lay awake in bed at one in the morning, after what I would come to call the strangest night of my life. Satisfied that I had asked all the questions I needed to ask, I closed my prayer and tried my best to fall asleep. Little did I know that the strangest morning of my life was right around the corner, and that my questions would be answered all too soon.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Before you ask, Dan is a non-denominational Christian. There are several reasons why I made him a Christian, but the primary reason is because I thought it fit the character well. Why Christianity as opposed to another religion or belief system? Easy. I'm a Christian. This might seem short-sighted, but as I explained to my Betas when _they_ questioned this decision:

_"Making Dan a Christian wasn't a stylistic or thematic choice. It was a character choice. It gives Dan something to weigh his choices against, and considering what will happen later...well...he's going to be asking God a_ lot _of questions, some for comedic effect, some for dramatic effect. Character development is important to me. I could have made Dan any religion. I only really know non-denominational Christianity, so that's what I made him."_

So...yeah, Dan's a Christian. While this does impact Dan as a character and the choices he'll make as the story progresses, it shouldn't impact you as the reader all that much. This isn't going to get preachy. I'm not trying to convert anyone here. I'm just making this story as realistic as possible. After all, religions play a role in the real world as much as they do in the world of a dating simulator. Or at least, they do in my book.


	2. The Lovers: Reversed

_It was cold. She had lamented that she had left her jacket in her car, so I gave her mine. I just gritted my teeth and pretended not to be cold. We had walked down to what I knew was her favorite place to hang out, Lola's Coffee House. There was no mistaking the giant cup of coffee on the roof of the building. The bells above the double doors tinkled as we entered, the soft din of mid-morning chatter and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee washing over us as we made our way to the front counter._

_She ordered some fancy latte. I just settled for a hot chocolate. We talked for about an hour. It was the usual. Talking about our interests, what we did in our spare time. I made her laugh a couple times. She smiled at me, and I returned that smile every chance I got. I could never forget how happy she looked._

_After finishing our drinks, we paid our tabs and left. I made a point to say that I would have been more than happy to cover both drinks, but she just shook her head. Our next destination was Magnum Memorial Park, the home of Lake View's squirrel population and a popular stomping ground for dogs and their owners. Despite how cold it was, the sky wasn't overcast._

_The sun was out in full form, bringing the park to life with its light. We spotted a couple of dogs roaming through the quadrant of grass closest to us. One of them was even kind enough to trot over and say hello. I, being the dog lover between us, let the golden retriever tackle me and lick me to death. She just stood above me, laughing that laugh of hers.  
_

_Another thing I couldn't forget._

_By the time the retriever's owner finally intervened, my face was slick with dog slobber. Honestly, I couldn't have been happier. I thanked the owner for letting me play with their dog before taking her by the shoulder and leading her to the central fountain. The path we were on merged with the ring that circled the fountain, and on the outside of that ring were benches. The benches weren't terribly comfortable, but they were well positioned for squirrel watching._

_"Do you like it here?" I asked, my breath turning to mist as it escaped my lips._

_"Yeah," she said with a grin. "It's a nice enough town. Plenty of cute dogs."_

_"And squirrels," I added.  
_

_That got a laugh out of her._

_"Yes, and the squirrels. Can't forget about them," she giggled._

_I sighed. She laughed at all of my jokes. Even the dumb ones._ Especially _the dumb ones. Making small talk with anyone else was almost boring, but with her it was...fun._

_The time flew by as we continued to talk, the world around us warming up as morning turned into day. At one point, a squirrel popped out of the bushes near the fountain and streaked across the grass, eliciting excited shouts from both of us as it ran for the trees. In my brilliance, I decided it would be funny to commentate over the squirrel's progress like a fifties newscaster, albeit one with a horribly fake New Yorker accent._

_To my eternal surprise, it worked. She laughed until she was so out of breath she looked as though she would pass out any second. My heart raced. I was actually making a good impression on her, despite all the weird looks I was getting from passerby._

_We had been on a few dates, but this one was special. That's because it was the date I finally worked up the nerve to ask that all important question. Well, the_ other _all important question you can ask a woman you have feelings for.  
_

_"Evie?" I said after a while._

_"Yeah, Dan?"_

_"Would you...I mean, if you wouldn't mind..." I took a deep breath. I couldn't afford to mess this up now. "I don't really know how to ask this any other way, so...would you consider being my girlfriend?"_

_She didn't even hesitate._

_"Yes!" she said happily.  
_

_We hugged on that park bench, a cool breeze washing over us. We didn't kiss, but, honestly, I didn't mind. I was just glad that she was hugging me, that I could share at least that much with her. When we finally separated, it was close to 1:00. We sheepishly admitted to each other that we both had places to be. Different places._

_I got up and walked in the direction of my apartment, and she headed for the boardwalk parking lot. Neither of us had taken two steps before we both turned around and waved goodbye. I didn't take my eyes off of her until she stepped onto the sidewalk on the clear opposite end of the park. I couldn't. It delighted me to see that she did the same thing. I had to hope it was for the same reason._

_I blinked. What was I watching? My memories of her? Why?_

_The world around me shifted. Day became night and Magnum Memorial Park morphed into Jessie's Bar and Lounge. I was already fumbling around in my pocket for what I knew was a tiny box that held a diamond ring._

_I could feel my hands shaking. Half of me wanted to wait until we went back to my apartment, but the other half didn't want to disappoint Evie or myself. In the end, I managed to work up the nerve to say the words. I didn't manage to do that until we were finished with our dinner and almost ready to leave. I had tried so hard to work my question, that all important question, into the conversation, but to no avail. No time seemed to be the right time. Finally, I decided to just ask the question in the simplest way I could._

_"Hey, Evie?" I said carefully. "Can I ask you something?"_

_She stopped putting on her coat and sat back down, looping her fingers through her purse straps._

_"Sure."_

_"Eveline Masters," I said proudly, "Would you..." I took a deep breath as I reached into my pocket and pulled out that tiny box. I_ really _couldn't afford to mess this up now. "Will you marry me?" I said as I held the box out in front of her. I realized a split-second later that the box wasn't open, and quickly opened it up._

_I saw the tears well up in her eyes as she covered her mouth with her hands. I saw her coat fall off of her shoulders and her purse flop limply onto the table. I saw her smile in her cheeks; the way her eyes brightened as she whispered, "Yes."  
_

_She carefully removed the ring from the box and slipped it onto her ring finger. When I asked her if she liked it, she just started repeating the word 'yes' over and over, each time getting louder and more excited. The people sitting at the tables around us took notice of this and began to applaud, which almost made me jump, I was so nervous. Their clapping and cheering reached a fever pitch as I got up to kiss her.  
_

_I watched myself walk over to Evie, but as we leaned into each other, my vision began to fade to black. Then it felt like I was falling. Suddenly, the blackness surrounded me, and I was lost in space. My stomach lurched. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. As I fell, voices began to sound out of the darkness, familiar voices._

_"Evie...do you like me?" I heard myself say._

_"I love you, Dan," I heard Evie reply._

_"What is this?" My voice again._

_"Dan, it's not what you think!" Hers._

_"Will you marry me?" I heard again._

_"I trusted you!"  
_

_A cacophony of various voices washed over me, all of them saying different things from past memories. The din combined with the uncanny sensation of falling was too much to handle. I tried to cover my ears but found that I couldn't. I tried to reorient myself in the darkness, but found that I couldn't. I tried to speak up, to say something, anything, but found that I couldn't. The voices grew louder, the noise reaching a fever pitch._

_"This isn't what I wanted for us!"_

_"It was just a one time thing!"_

_"For God's sake, you're my_ _fiancée!"_

_"You don't own me!"_

_"She's gone, D."_

__"_ _ __You know damn well that nobody's perfect."_ _

__"_ _ __I feel like the groom from that Panic! At The Disco song..."_ _

__"What do you want me to do? Leave!? I thought you loved me!"_ _

__"I thought you loved me too, but it looks like I was wrong!"_ _

__"_ _ __I just can't help but feel like I did something wrong."_ _

__"..._ _ __it wouldn't have been long before you caught her cheating ass anyway."_ _

_Finally, one voice began to make itself known over the others._

_"Get out," I heard myself say. "GET OUT!" I screamed with finality.  
_

* * *

I awoke with a start. It was hard to hear anything other than my frantic, heavy breathing. My skin felt like sandpaper, my eyes were watery, my throat was dry, my ears were ringing, and I was drenched in my own sweat. I made to sit up only to realize that I had fallen out of my bed and onto the floor sometime during the night. My back was pressed hard against the carpet, but my legs were still halfway on the bed, my feet pointed toward the ceiling. It was an awkward, uncomfortable position, but I felt too sick to move.

"Woah, shit," I breathed.

Then I heard a voice. "My, my. That nightmare was quite vivid."

My insides turned to ice. _Who just said that?_

Ignoring my body's complaints, I rolled over so that I was on my hands and knees, wincing as a bolt of pain shot up my arms. When I finally blinked the tears out of my eyes and looked up, I saw a woman standing there, not far from the floor lamp in the closest corner of my bedroom.

She had long, straight lilac-colored hair, long enough to reach down to the back of her knees. She wore a black blazer and matching knee-length pencil skirt, a pale purple button-up shirt, a pair of modest black pumps with black leggings, and a pair of glasses with rectangular frames. Her skin was like ivory, flawless and smooth.

But her defining feature, and by far the strangest about her, was the enormous pair of butterfly wings sprouting from her back.

"What the actual hell?" The words left my mouth slowly, as I couldn't tell whether or not I was still dreaming. My eyes widened with a mixture of curiosity and fear as I took in the strange beauty of her wings, as the meager rays of sunlight poking through my bedroom window made them shimmer.

They looked like they were made of black silk, their charcoal gray interiors boasting wavy lines of obsidian that snaked through them like running ink on a page. The underside of each wing was lined with ribbons of bright blue, with splashes of color blended with black dotting the very bottom edges. I noted with curiosity that the spots had a kind of gradient to them, starting with a deep blue and ending with a warm red-orange.

Her wings were captivating, but they didn't distract me for long. There was still the matter that a complete stranger was in my bedroom. Butterfly wings or no, she was an intruder and had to go. Part of me wished I had taken the time to learn how to use a firearm and purchase one for home defense, but the rest of me knew I had to do something anyway.

Getting to my feet proved to be a struggle, as I was still slightly disoriented from the aftermath of my nightmare. But eventually, I cleared my throat, willed my hands to stop shaking, and slid into something resembling a boxing stance.

"Alright," I said carefully, "I don't know who or what you are, but you have ten seconds to get out of my apartment before I throw you out."

She didn't move an inch. She just smiled at me instead, apparently unconcerned by my threat. _So much for that,_ I thought bitterly.

"Don't be alarmed," she said calmly. "I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" I parroted dumbly.

"Of course, Mr. Hartigan. It's my job to help you."

I lowered my fists, but I didn't let down my guard. "What job would require you to break into my house? And more importantly, how do you know who I am?"

"You mean to tell me that you don't recognize me?"

I scoffed. "Pretty sure I would remember someone with purple hair and butterfly wings." I looked at her again and saw that she had antennae poking out of her head. "And antennae," I quickly amended.

The woman had to stifle a chuckle, which made me uneasy. "I had a feeling you'd say something like that," she said with a knowing smile. "Perhaps this will jog your memory."

With a snap of her fingers, her appearance began to change. Starting at the ends, her hair began to darken to black, almost as if it was being dipped into an inkwell. The blackness then began to work its way up, consuming all traces of her hair's original lilac color until there was nothing left but the black. As this was happening, her wings and antennae began to glow with a bright white light. When her hair completed its color change, the wings and antennae shattered, disappearing into the ether with a visible shimmer.

I was speechless. _Alright_ , I thought, _I'm definitely still dreaming._

But she wasn't quite done. While I marveled at the fact that her butterfly-like appendages had magically vanished, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and removed her glasses, hooking the stems into the front pocket of her suit jacket. Her transformation apparently complete, she moved closer to me and put her hand on my shoulder, which almost made me jump.

"Recognize me now?" she asked with a smile.

I looked at her face closely. Now that her hair was black and her glasses and antennae were gone, her eyes stood out more than they did before. They were kind, somber, and beautiful, their jade irises drawing all of my attention. My own eyes widened in realization. I suddenly knew exactly who I was looking at.

"Vye?" I whispered in disbelief.

She nodded. "The one and only."

I stared wordlessly at her for about five seconds before my vision went black. I felt my eyes roll into the back of my head as I slipped into the throes of unconsciousness.

* * *

When I woke up, I was comfortably curled up on my bed. I almost drifted back to sleep, but then I remembered what had happened. I quickly sat up against my headboard and frantically scanned the room for any sign of another person, but found nothing. My room had no one in it but me.

I clutched my head in my hands, breathing heavily. _Was it just another dream?_

When I looked up, I got my answer. Vye was once again in my room. This time, she was sitting on the edge of my bed, reading one of the graphic novels in my collection. Her wings were gone, and she looked like she did when we were at Jessie's, but I was scared anyway. I gasped in surprise and tried to move away from her, but all I managed to do was hit my head on the hard wood of my headboard.

"Ow, shit," I cursed under my breath.

I heard the book Vye was reading snap shut as she stood up and turned to me. "Are you alright, Dan?" she said.

"No," I said exasperatedly, "I think I'm going insane!"

"Why would you say that?"

"I'll give you three guesses," I said, glaring purposefully at her.

"Dan, you're not crazy," she said sweetly. "I am very real, and as I said before, I'm here to help you."

"I don't believe you," I said quickly.

"That's fine. I don't expect you to believe me right away, but if you give me a chance to explain myself, I promise it'll all make sense."

I opened my mouth to retort, but I hesitated. I could say with almost absolute certainty that I wasn't dreaming, and that I wasn't crazy. The woman who was sitting on my bed, figment of my imagination or not, looked exactly like the woman I had met at Jessie's last night. I knew for a fact that I wasn't the only one who had seen her that night. D, at the very least, had seen her at the bar.

But the butterfly wings? The purple hair? The antennae? It still didn't connect. It didn't help that she had appeared out of the ether directly after a particularly dreadful nightmare.

I felt like I was lost, like I wasn't processing reality properly. My mind felt like it was going a million miles an hour, but no solutions to the problem at hand came to me. I looked at my hands. They were shaking. Maybe I _was_ going crazy. Why else would this all be happening? I pondered my situation carefully, still wary of Vye's presence.

Eventually, I decided to seek assistance from someone who had all the answers. I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and prayed a silent prayer.

 _Lord_ , I thought, _Please help me figure out what exactly is going on here. Please.  
_

When I opened my eyes again, I almost expected to see that Vye had disappeared. But, alas, she hadn't. She was standing next to me now, the manga she had been reading now lying on my nightstand.

"Are you willing to hear me out?" she asked, a slight hint of concern in her tone.

I let out a sigh. If she was still here, there had to be a reason. I had to trust that God would reveal His plans to me. For all I knew, Vye was some kind of angel. Maybe she was a person from some prank reality show. Maybe she was just a figment of my imagination. At this rate, I didn't care what she was. I just wanted the truth, and it seemed like Vye was willing to give me the answers I was looking for.

"Yes," I said finally. "I'm...I think I'm ready to...to hear you out."

Vye smiled with apparent satisfaction. "That's good to hear." She gestured toward my bedroom door. "I'll be waiting for you in the living room. Take some time to relax, shower, and get ready to take on the day. Then I'll explain myself. Sound good?"

I nodded, still unsure but not willing to admit it. She nodded back before turning on her heel and heading out. She looked back at me before stepping through the door and closing it behind her. For a few minutes, I stayed in my bed. Part of me was convinced that it would be better to just crawl back under the covers, curl up into a ball and just pretend that I was in a coma. The rest of me was convinced that that was a stupid idea, and motivated me to get out of bed and onto my feet.

Out of curiosity, I looked at the cover of the manga Vye had been reading when I had first woken up. I had to chuckle when I saw it. It was the first volume of _Soul Eater_. Part of me had to wonder why she chose it. It was one of my personal favorites, and a huge inspiration for my efforts as an artist and a novelist. I was tempted to open it up for what was probably the millionth time, but I stopped myself.

 _This is not the time for that,_ I told myself. _Focus on the magic woman in your living room, not the magic cat in the pumpkin house._

With that, I turned and walked into my bathroom. When I looked in the mirror, I saw a man with pale, clammy skin and mangled dark brown hair that was damp with sweat. My hazel eyes widened in surprise. I looked like an absolute train wreck. I wasn't this pale normally. My reflection had managed to capture my anxiety. I could see it in the way my hands shook, in the way my eyes shifted, in the way the muscles in my arms tensed up.

From what I saw, I needed a shower and possibly some therapy. But, since the latter would only serve to cause me more problems, I opted for the former. I mean, really, if I tried to tell a licensed psychiatrist that I was seeing people with butterfly wings in the wee hours, I'd be put in the nuthouse faster than I could say 'I'm not crazy'.

I turned the knob and waited for the water to get hot. Eventually, the bathroom mirror started to fog up, tendrils of moisture creeping across the reflective surface like frost. That was my cue. I stepped in and the water was almost boiling. It was wonderful.

After about ten minutes, I exited the shower. I dried off and did my best to make myself look presentable. I combed my hair, shaved, and changed into some clean clothes. When I looked in the mirror again, I still saw a train wreck. It was a clean and tidied up train wreck, but it was a train wreck nonetheless. I still looked tired, tense, and stressed.

 _Oh, well_ , I thought to myself, _It's not like I'm getting any prettier. Time to face the music._

A rush of steam followed me as I stepped out into my bedroom. I took a deep breath and took a moment to prepare myself for what came next. I couldn't possibly imagine what Vye was going to tell me. I wasn't even sure she was real. But I knew that I had to find the truth, and that truth was just beyond my bedroom door.

Suddenly determined to figure out what exactly was going on, I grabbed my glasses from my nightstand and put them on before exiting my room.

I found Vye exactly where she said she would be, sitting in the armchair in my living room. She turned and smiled at me as I entered, her eyes watching me carefully through her glasses. I opened my mouth to say something, but she shook her head.

"Have something to eat first," she said, "Then we'll talk."

I begrudgingly complied, turning on my heel and walking into my kitchen. There was no real reason to object to breakfast. After a long night of strange dreams and girls with butterflies wings, I was starving. Still, I wanted answers, and I wanted them immediately. Waiting until after breakfast to hear Vye's explanation seemed wrong to me, but I had to convince myself that God was just testing my patience.

As I made myself busy in the kitchen, Vye sat back down in the armchair and turned her attention back to my TV, which I only then noticed was on. She was watching one of my prerecorded programs. As I poured some cereal into a bowl and grabbed a bottle of iced tea from the fridge, I heard a very jaunty and familiar tune come out of the TV's speakers.

 _She's watching_ Pokémon: Sun and Moon _?_

The realization gave me pause, but I didn't dwell on it for too long. After all, who doesn't like Pokémon?

I sat down at the table between the kitchen and the living room and ate my hastily prepared breakfast, constantly eyeing either Vye or the TV. Vye just watched the TV, only occasionally glancing at me. Every time she looked my way, I did my best to look like I was watching the TV. Something told me that she knew I was keeping an eye on her, but she didn't call me out on it.

After taking the last bite of cereal and draining the last drop of iced tea from the bottle, I washed my bowl and made my way into the living room. Vye stopped the playback and turned off the TV, watching me carefully as I sat down on the couch. She didn't say a word. Several minutes passed as I sat there on the couch, hands folded together to keep them from shaking.

Eventually, I took a deep breath, let it out, and took my first step forward in the conversation.

"Alright," I said, still hesitant. "Let's...let's hear it."

Vye smiled, and after a moment spent gathering her thoughts, said, "Do you know what I am?"

I shook my head. "No. I'm...still trying to figure that out."

"Do you have any ideas?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Are you a cosplayer?"

Vye just laughed. "No, Dan. I'm not a cosplayer. I'm a fairy, a love fairy from another dimension."

That caught me off guard. "A fairy? Really?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. Is that so hard to believe?"

"A little. I mean, what can I say? Am I really just supposed to accept that right off the bat? How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Vye smiled and snapped her fingers.

_Shit. Walked right into that one...  
_

The air in the room around us began to vibrate. I watched in awe as Vye's body began to glow with a bright white light, just as it had last night. Slowly but surely, her wings began to reappear, the white light knitting itself into the vibrant hues and inky blacks I had seen previously. Her antennae also came back, shimmering like diamonds as they manifested.

When both her wings and her antennae had made their grand return, the light around Vye's body faded, leaving me to sit there with my jaw on the floor.

"Is this proof enough for you, Mr. Hartigan?" She gestured to herself, her wings fluttering briefly of their own accord.

I didn't faint, but I felt like I was going to. I was stunned. There was no way I had seen that right. Surely, I had missed it. The sleight of hand, the misdirection, the magic trick. What I had just seen was impossible. It couldn't be real.

_Right?_

"I can change my hair back to lilac if you're not convinced."

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my finger as a frustrated sigh left my lips. "No, I've seen enough. You can put your wings away."

Vye snapped her fingers again, and her wings and antennae shattered into shards of light. It happened so fast I barely even saw it. In the time it took me to blink, she was back to normal.

"I take it you're convinced, then?" she asked, seemingly amused as she settled back into the armchair.

"If by 'convinced' you mean 'defeated', then yes," I said, dejected.

"Don't be so dramatic, Dan. It's just magic."

"'Just magic', huh? I guess that means magic is real, too?"

"Correct."

"This just keeps getting better..." I trailed off uselessly.

"Dan, you've seen for yourself what my magic can do. It can grant me flight, it can change my appearance...it can even grant me access to one's memories and dreams."

My eyes widened in realization. "Wait a minute! That dream...that nightmare I had last night. That—that was you!?"

Vye nodded in affirmation. "Yes. I have to say, given your reaction, I think I did a pretty good job."

I grasped at the air with my hands, trying to grapple with what I was hearing. "Why?" I asked finally. "Why did you, I mean—when did you...who—why is...I mean— _what do you want from me?"_

"That's easy," she said sweetly, "I want to help you, Dan."

That statement gave me pause. "Help me? With what?"

"To put it bluntly, your love life."

My dazed expression quickly transformed into a flat grimace. "Really?" I deadpanned. " _That's_ what this is about?"

"Yes," Vye said with a sweet smile. "What else?"

"You mean to tell me that everything we've been through...the talk at the bar, the nightmare, the—the—the breaking into my house in the middle of the night...all of that was to help me with my freaking love life!?"

Vye didn't miss a beat. "Yes."

I slumped down into the couch and just let my body go limp. "I want to go back to bed," I whimpered.

"This is no time for sleeping, Dan," I heard her say.

I immediately sat back up. "But—but this...all of this...it doesn't make any sense!"

Vye shook her head. "It will. I just need to explain further, that's all."

I sighed wearily. "You're starting to make me wish I hadn't sworn off drinking, you know that?"

"I have that kind of effect on people," she said with a chuckle.

Another sigh. "Alright. I've already gotten this far. There's no point in turning back now." I turned and looked directly at Vye. "So, you're...a fairy."

"Yes."

"A...love fairy, you said?"

"That's right."

"And...you want to help me...with my love life. Am I right?"

Vye just nodded.

"So, then...what does that mean, exactly? You don't want to date me...do you?" I asked, suddenly concerned that I was being stalked by a fairy.

"No, Dan. I don't want to date you."

"Oh, thank God," I breathed, "I don't think I could handle that right now."

"Don't get me wrong, you're a good person. I know that for a fact. It's just that...well, let's just say that relationships between fairies and humans don't often turn out well."

"Gee, I wonder why..." I said under my breath.

"By that same token, relationships between humans don't always turn out well." She gestured at me with her hand. "You _know_ what I mean."

Memories began to paint pictures in my mind. Evie, the park, the ring, that night when I came home from work, Jerry, our bed, the broom, the fight, the crying, the pillows, the shower, Jessie's, D, Vye, the prayer, the nightmare. They rushed by in a flurry of pictures and sounds, each one reminding me why I had been miserable for the past month or so.

"Yeah," I said as I rubbed the back of my neck. "I, uh...I've had some... _experience_...with that sort of thing."

"Indeed you have. You were hurt by someone you cared about, your ex-girlfriend and ex-fiancé, Eveline Masters."

I didn't respond. I just stared at the floor, certain that I didn't want to hear the rest of what Vye had to say. I listened anyway, but it took all of my willpower to not just walk out of the room.

"Since the night she cheated on you," she continued, "Your mind has been in a state of constant consternation. You've been asking yourself some difficult questions, and you haven't gotten any real answers. It's been hard for you to think about anything else, and your well-being is suffering for it. I'm here to help you out of this rut and get your life back on track."

"How?" I asked, more to myself than to Vye, my tone weathered and defeated. "How can I do that?"

"With love, of course."

I didn't say anything. I didn't even look up. I just kept staring at the floor with my head in my hands, numb.

"Dan, it may seem ridiculous, but it is _very_ important that you make an effort to improve your love life. Improving your love life will enable you to succeed in other areas of your life, which will ultimately make you a happier, more satisfied person. That's why I'm here: to help you move on and find new love."

 _"New love?"_ I repeated. The words tasted like sand in my mouth, and I was only barely able to say them, but they still came out, despite myself.

"Yes, Dan. I'm here help you establish new relationships and, eventually, find a partner that you can spend the rest of your life with. That's what you want, isn't it? A wife? Someone who is faithful to you in a way that Eveline Masters wasn't?"

I blinked. Was this what I wanted? Was this what God wanted for me? Was this the chance that I had been waiting for? Thoughts began running through my brain at breakneck speeds. I felt more confused now than I had ever been in my entire life, but somehow, it wasn't an unwelcome feeling. I remembered talking to Vye at Jessie's, the genuine laughs we shared, the joy I had felt after so many miserable days. Something told me that I wanted more of that in my life. That I _needed_ more of that in my life.

But a flash of doubt cut through the chaos of my thoughts. As a man of God, I had to believe that I knew better. I couldn't possibly accept this reality, could I? Surely, I was imagining all of this. Fairies and magic weren't real. I was just tired or something.

Then I remembered the nightmare, and the memories it had drudged up. Seeing Evie again in my mind was painful because...I loved her once. How could that mean nothing? The tears I had cried were real. Vye's deep dive into my memories made me experience those feelings of love and loss all over again, and it sucked. I mean, I still had the engagement ring, for God's sake!

I spent a long time mulling over everything. I prayed a silent prayer, took a deep breath, and considered my options. At this point, I couldn't deny what I had seen in the last twenty-four hours. I had to accept that Vye was real, though I was still unsure about the whole fairy thing. It was clear to me that she was really here to help me.

After all, she was right. Evie had put my heart through the ringer, and if I was being honest with myself, my creativity, my performance at work, and even my social life were all slowly deteriorating as a result.

 _Maybe she's right,_ I thought, _M_ _aybe I do need this.  
_

Another five minutes passed as I sat there, thinking. Vye must have seen the gears turning in my head, because she didn't say a word. She just sat there in my armchair, waiting patiently for me to say something. Somewhere in that five minutes of thinking, a single tear came down out of my right eye. I wiped it away instinctively. This was not the time to be crying. I had to be strong.

That's when I realized something.

"Wait a minute," I said eventually, "How do you know what I want? How do you know anything about me? Have...have you been spying on me?"

Vye shrugged her shoulders. "If you call looking through your memories 'spying', then yes."

"Oh, yeah." I had forgotten that it was Vye who had conjured up my memories of Evie in the first place. Logic dictated that if I had seen those memories, Vye had seen them too. I should have figured that out. "Damn."

"The evidence speaks for itself, Dan. I can't tell what you're thinking, but I can make a pretty good guess. You're still confused about all of this, but you're willing to try. I know just from what I've seen of you that you're a good person. You deserve better than what you have now."

My brow furrowed as I struggled to gather my thoughts. After a while, I said, "So, what you're saying is...my life's a mess because of Evie, and you're here to make things better by being my...magical dating coach?"

"It's more complicated than that, but in simple terms, yes."

I put my head in my hands. "Jesus Christ, I can't do this."

"Don't worry, Dan," Vye said consolingly, "My being here doesn't have to conflict with your faith."

I shot her a look of confusion, to which she simply shook her head.

"I know that you're a Christian, and I know that your faith is in your God is strong. I think that's why you're having a hard time accepting what I am and what I'm here to do."

"Understatement of the freaking century," I said flatly.

"That is completely understandable, which is why I encourage you not to get caught up in the details. Yes, I'm a fairy from another dimension, but that doesn't change what I'm doing for you. I'm here to help you. Once I'm done helping you, I'll leave. You can think whatever you like after that. You can call me a fairy, an angel, a figment of your imagination; whatever makes sense to you."

That made me think for a moment. Vye, a fairy from another dimension, was complimenting my faith in a God whose doctrine contradicted her very existence. What did that mean?

I turned and gave her a quizzical look. "Are you sure you're not an angel?"

Vye laughed heartily for a moment before saying, "Yes. I know for a fact that that's not the case. I'm a love fairy, not an angel."

"Just making sure," I said, somewhat disappointed.

"That said, though, once my mission here is complete, you can call me an angel if that will make you feel better."

I shook my head. "This is all so weird."

"It is. But, as you so adequately put, all I really am is a special kind of dating coach. If you can accept that, we can go ahead and get started."

My eyes instinctively widened in fear. "Get started with what?"

"Well, with my coaching, to put it simply." Her expression darkened suddenly. "But you must understand that I can't force you to do this. This is something you have to decide for yourself." She turned to look directly at me, her eyes kind but serious. "What do you say, Dan? Will you let me help you improve your life?"

I sat for a few minutes and considered my options. At the end of the day, it didn't matter if I accepted her help or not. Either way, my life was going to change. If I didn't accept her help now, I knew for a fact that my life would continue to spiral out of control. God and I both knew I didn't have the motivation to seek out a new love interest. I had a feeling that, with Vye's guidance, I'd be able to move on and take my life back.

At that point, I made up my mind. I could question the reality of the situation later. It was officially time to take the dive and see just how far down this rabbit hole went, even if it went nowhere at all.

I turned to Vye and said, "Alright, Vye. I'll trust you for now. As long as my reality doesn't break, I'll play by your rules."

Vye had to stifle a chuckle, which struck me as odd. "That's funny," she grinned.

"Why?" I asked, suddenly concerned. Well, more concerned than I already was.

She just shook her head. "You'll see."

"Okay...when?"

"Rather soon, actually. If you'd be willing to accompany me on a sort of date, that is."

"Why?" I asked again.

"Because, unlike you, I haven't had breakfast. That, and I imagine you need a change of scenery. No use staying here, as lovely as your apartment is."

I looked around, suddenly self-conscious of how I kept my apartment.

"I still have a few things to explain to you," she continued, "and if we want to beat the lunch rush, we'll have to leave right now."

"Right now?" I asked, bewildered.

"Right now," she said.

I sighed again, still unsure whether or not this was the right thing to do. Then, to my surprise, I smiled and said, "Alright, then. Where to, coach?"


	3. Head Games

Since I was already ready to go, it didn't take us long to leave my apartment. After a brief discussion concerning which restaurant was the best for breakfast, Vye and I walked our way to our chosen destination: Lola's Coffee House.

Now, I'm not exactly a coffee person, but I'm no stranger to Lola's, either. They have a quality breakfast and brunch menu, their jukebox plays nothing but the classics, and their hot chocolate is to kill for. For those reasons and more, I was not opposed to going there despite not being hungry.

Considering everything that had happened since I had woken up, I couldn't believe it was only a quarter past ten. It felt like it should be late in the afternoon, but it wasn't. It felt like everything had happened so fast, but it hadn't. It felt like I was dreaming and that the dream was about to end, but it didn't. Time was taking its sweet time today. That, or I was going crazy.

I blinked. _Was I going crazy?_

For the second time this morning, I found myself sitting in Lola's Coffee House across from a beautiful woman. But now, instead of that woman being my ex-girlfriend and ex-fiancée from my most recent nightmare, that woman was someone I knew to be a shape-shifting fairy from another dimension whose mission was to get my love life back on track.

A dejected sigh left my mouth as I sank into my seat, suddenly concerned that my reality could shatter at any moment. I was definitely going crazy.

"Having second thoughts?" Vye asked.

I glanced at Vye. She wore a knowing smile as she sat there on her side of the booth, a sign that she had done this song and dance before.

"Yes," I admitted, "But only because part of me still can't believe that this is really happening."

Vye nodded. "I would expect nothing less. Some people are simply overwhelmed by the revelation that love fairies and magic exist. The fact that it exists in another dimension doesn't usually help much."

"No kidding," I muttered under my breath.

"Like I said before, I'm not here to shatter your worldview. You ultimately decide how real I am to you once my mission is complete."

She said that like it was as simple as forgetting that she existed. It was, in a way. But how do you forget someone that looks the way Vye does? How do you forget that magical people with butterfly wings not only exist, but could be anyone around you? How do you forget that they use magic to help people get their love game on point?

Vye clearly knew what was going on in my mind, because she gently took hold of my hand from across the table and said, "You don't have to worry. If I know you, you'll come to your own understanding when the time comes."

I had to raise an eyebrow at that, but I was immediately put at ease when I saw her smile. It was something in the way she looked at me, something in the way I felt when she held my hand, that made me feel better about everything. Part of me wondered if it was magic or just one of her many talents. I opened my mouth to say something about it, but I was stopped prematurely by a waitress clad in baby blue appearing beside our table.

"Hey, guys," she said jauntily. "My name is Stephanie, and I'll be taking care of you today. What can I get you?"

Vye, having already retracted her hand, took a moment to glance at the menu in front of her before saying, "I'll have the Kickin' Eggs and Beef Platter with toast, and a cup of coffee, black."

Stephanie turned to me. "And for the gentleman?"

I scratched my head and smiled. "Just a hot chocolate, please. And no whipped cream on that."

"Of course!" She scribbled our orders down on her notepad before folding it up and hooking it to her uniform skirt. "Alrighty. We'll have it all ready in a hot second," she said with a wink.

For some reason, I couldn't help but examine her. She had a cute face and sun-weathered skin, and her body was petite and slim. When she started heading for the kitchen, I kept my eyes on her. Her curly blonde hair bobbed up and down as she made her way to the kitchen. She had a Texas dialect, walked on her toes, and wore a red snap-on bracelet.

That was when it hit me. I had seen her somewhere before, though I had never seen her at Lola's. What did she say her name was? Stephanie, right? Did I know any Stephanies?

Vye must have seen where my eyes were. When I turned back to her, she was sporting a knowing grin.

"Don't get ahead of me, Mr. Hartigan," she said with a disapproving wag of her finger.

"Wha—wha—what are you talking about?" I stammered, more confused than nervous.

Vye just shook her head. "I know a once-over when I see one."

It took me a second to figure out what exactly Vye was talking about. Once I got the picture, I immediately shot her an annoyed glare. "That was _not_ a once-over," I said flatly. "It's just that...I think I've seen her somewhere before, that's all."

Vye's expression softened, but only slightly. "Oh, yeah?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm at least sixty-five percent sure she went to my high school."

"So, you're not interested in her at all?"

"Interested? You mean for—no, not—I mean, not like that..."

Vye sat back in her seat with a curious look on her face. She suddenly seemed miffed. I couldn't wrap my head around it. She told me that I needed her help in finding a new romantic interest, complementing me all the while, but now she was confusing my genuine curiosity for lust. She had sung my praises the night previous, but now she was effectively calling me a womanizer.

Why was she being so skeptical of my actions all of a sudden? She had gone through my memories. Surely she could see that I was being honest with her.

_...right?  
_

As it turned out, I didn't have time to dwell on the matter. Stephanie was making a beeline to our table, our drinks delicately perched on the plastic tray she balanced on her palm. I turned to Vye to say something about trusting me, but she was gone.

My eyes widened in surprise, and I frantically searched for her until Stephanie arrived. I tried my best not to look like my companion had up and vanished into the ether. It proved to be rather difficult.

"Alright," Stephanie said as she lowered her tray, "One black lava, no strings attached, and one Eskimo's dream, hold the snow. Your friend's breakfast special should be here in a few minutes."

"Thank you," I said with what I hoped was a smile. She started to walk away again, but something told me to stop her. Thankfully, I reacted quickly enough to do just that. "Excuse me, miss?"

Her head snapped toward me before she turned around to face me again. "Need somethin'?" she asked expectantly.

"I hate to hold you up, but I was hoping I could, uh...ask you something."

She braced one hip on her hand and the other on the seat across from me in the booth, Vye's seat. "Okay, shoot."

"Did...did you go to LVHS?" LVHS, of course, stood for Lake View High School, my alma matter and the only high school in the area. If she knew what I was talking about, I had my answer.

Sure enough, her eyes lit up the moment those four letters entered the conversation together. "Well, as a matter of fact, I did!" she said excitedly. "How'd you know?"

Now I remembered her. That southern dialect, that curly blonde hair, that smile, those cloudy blue eyes, that red plastic friendship bracelet, that thing she did when she walked on her toes. It came together in an instant.

"You're Stephanie Marshall, aren't you?" I said. "Class of 2011?"

"That's right! Are you Class of 2011, too?"

"Yep. My name is Dan."

"Dan...?"

"Hartigan," I finished.

She bit her lip as she pondered. Eventually, it hit her. "Oh! You're Dan!"

I smiled. "One of the two."

"Right! You and your buddy Danny. Now I remember! Sorry I didn't recognize you. It's been so long since high school, and I've only ever seen you with the other D. How have you been?" she asked with a grin.

"I've been doing great. How, uh...how about you?"

"Fine, just fine!" She put her hands on her hips and let out a sigh. "Man alive, I didn't think anyone from _our_ class still lived out here."

"Prepare to be surprised, 'cause a lot of us still do. D runs the bar down the street, and I see some of our other classmates from time to time, too. This is the first time I've seen you since high school, though."

"Yeah, I moved out right after graduation."

It was then that I remembered something about her high school sweetheart, a basketball player named Allen Henderson. He was the tallest guy in LVHS's Class of 2011, and still holds the school record for most points scored by a single player in one season. I didn't know him very well, but everyone knew how good he was at shooting free throws. Everyone also knew that he and Stephanie were quite the item during our collective senior year, and that they had plans to get married and run off into the sunset together.

With that in mind, I said, "Yeah, you and Allen, right? How is he?"

Stephanie's face fell almost immediately after I said that.

 _Oh shit,_ I thought, _I just buried myself, didn't I?_

"Allen is doing okay," she said with a somber smile. "Me and him...we, uh...we broke up just recently."

"Oh. I'm so sorry."

She shook her head. "It's alright. I got over it. That's why I came back. For a new start. Clean slate, ya know?"

For a moment, Evie flashed into my mind again. "Yeah, I get that," I said almost sullenly.

Just then, a voice boomed out, "Steph! We need you back here, baby!"

Turning to look, I found that the voice was coming from a heavy-set, dark-skinned woman with curly black hair streaked with gray. She was wearing a uniform similar to Stephanie's, but hers was black instead of baby blue. I had to squint to see it, but I could see a tag that had 'MANAGER' printed on it in black lettering.

There was no mistaking it. It was Florida Baker, the manager of the Lola's Coffee Shop I was currently a patron of. She also happened to be a graduate of LVHS, though she had graduated back in the 80's.

Upon hearing her employer call for her, Stephanie immediately turned and shouted back, "Comin', boss!"

"Looks like duty calls," I said.

"Yep. Miss Flo ain't too fond of us waitresses chattin' up the customers on company time."

I chuckled. "That's Miss Flo for you. All gas, no brakes."

Stephanie nodded in agreement. "Seriously. I haven't been working here all of two days and I feel like I've already done more work than I have in my whole dang life!"

 _That explains why I haven't seen her here until just now,_ I mused.

"But anyways, I gotta go," Stephanie said as she glanced sidelong at her boss. "It was nice to see you again, Dan. Maybe I'll see you around?"

"You probably will," I said with a smile. "I come here pretty...uh...regularly."

"That's good. Just lemme know if you need anything else, sugar." With that, she waved goodbye and walked away.

I waved back and breathed out a sigh of relief. _Glad that's over_ , I thought. While it was admittedly nice to catch up with an old classmate, I had a feeling that we would have run out of things to talk about after a while. It didn't help that Stephanie and Allen's relationship (or lack thereof) was a touchy subject, a subject I had unwittingly brought up.

I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers, silently cursing myself for being so insensitive.

When I looked up, Vye was suddenly sitting across from me once again, taking a sip of her coffee. She hadn't been there the entire time I had been talking to Stephanie, but now she was. I almost jumped out of my seat in shock. My heart started beating like a rabbit's as she calmly set her mug down on the table.

"That went well," she said.

"Jesus Christ!" I said exasperatedly. "Where did you go?"

"Nowhere," she said as she took a stab at her food with a fork. "I turned invisible."

"What the f—!? You turned invisible!?" I whispered, stunned.

She nodded as she took another sip of her coffee. "How else was I supposed to get a genuine assessment of your character?"

"What the—what?" I was taken aback by that statement. "Wait...wha—wha—what do you mean by that?"

Vye ignored me. "You should drink your hot chocolate while it's still hot," she said as she took a bite of toast.

I took a moment to compose myself. "Vye," I said pointedly, " _What_ do you mean by that?"

Vye set her toast aside and smiled. "I'm not going to lie to you, Dan. My job is a little more involved than just being your dating coach."

"Considering you can turn invisible, I'm not surprised."

"By definition, love fairies are essentially dating coaches for humans. However, a handful of us only work with specific kinds of humans. We're...specialists."

"Specialists? Specialists of what?"

"Of people like you, Dan."

"People like...me?"

Vye shot me a flat look. "You're going to have to stop repeating what I say and pay attention if you're going to learn anything."

I shook my head. "Right, right. I'm sorry."

A smile graced Vye's pretty face once again. "No need to apologize. This is all very complicated. I'd be concerned if you weren't at least a little confused."

"Then...what exactly _do_ you do, Vye?"

Vye reached into her suit jacket and withdrew a badge, one similar to what an FBI agent would have on them. It had a picture of her, wings and all, as well as her name and official title.

"Vye Luzon Swallowtail, RSA. Rebounder Specialist?" I read aloud.

"That's right," she said as she tucked the badge back into her right inside pocket. "I'm part of an organization called the Rebounder Salvage Administration. Unlike most love fairies, I was specifically trained to help humans who, like you, have love and lost. These people are designated as Rebounders."

"So...you're not a dating coach?"

"Well, yes and no. Most love fairies simply aid those who are inept or inexperienced when it comes to love. My job description is a little more complicated. You've already had a significant other, so you're not inept or inexperienced. That is what makes you a Rebounder, specifically. You're...on the rebound, one could say, and it's my job to help you bounce back. Does that make sense, Dan?"

I just stared at Vye, unblinking. I wasn't completely lost. It was just...a lot to take in. With each answer she gave me, Vye was giving me more questions to ask. It was actually kind of frustrating.

Vye sighed, clearly seeing my inner turmoil written all over my face. "Think of it this way," she said, "If the average love fairy is a dating coach, then I'm what you might call a dating therapist."

I blinked. "So...you're a shrink?"

"I suppose you could say that," she said with a chuckle. "After all, love is a matter of the brain, not the heart."

"And your job is to help me...bounce back from my split with Evie. That's what you're saying?"

Vye nodded.

"Then...then...what are you...why did I—I mean, did you...?"

"Why did I need a genuine assessment of your character?" Vye finished.

"Yeah. That."

"To be honest, the answer is a little mundane. It's just me being thorough."

I tilted my head in confusion. "Hm?"

"The RSA, the organization I work for, simply gets things wrong sometimes. Lots of people are designated as Rebounders, but not all of them need help in the same way you do. I see it all the time. False alarms are fairly common. I brought you here to see whether or not you would identify with Stephanie and take the initiative to form a connection with her."

"So, if I had tried to hit on Stephanie just now..."

"I would have disappeared, and you would be on your own," she finished. She was serious for a moment, but that calm smile of hers once again appeared on her face. "But, you didn't do that, which means we're still in business."

"Hooray." I tried to sound happy, but I ended up sounding dejected.

Vye ignored my lack of enthusiasm, saying, "Now I can show you how I do things. How love fairies do things, I guess I should say."

"Don't tell me. More magic tricks?" I said flatly.

"You could say that."

"Forgive me if I'm not eager to see what comes next. I'm just..."

"Hesitating?" she said quickly.

I sighed. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. I'm, uh...hesitating."

She shook her head and gave me a patient smile. "Again, that is to be expected. But I have to reiterate: I can't help you if you don't want my help. I need to know for sure. So, let me ask you again. Will you let me help you find someone you can trust? Someone you can share your true feelings with? Someone who can help you get your life back in order?"

Her hand reached out toward me, beckoning me to grasp it in my own. She looked at me intently, waiting for my response.

I deliberated only for a moment before taking her hand. "Alright. Alright. I'll do it."

Vye's expression turned deadly serious, her grip tightening until it felt like my hand was getting crushed. "I want you to say it, Dan."

My eyes widened in alarm. "Say what?"

"I want you to say that you want my help. I need to hear the words."

"Okay, okay...I...I want your help." Her expression didn't change. She clearly wasn't satisfied. I took a deep breath before saying, more clearly and with more determination, "I want your help, Vye. I do."

Vye looked me right in the eye, almost as if she was trying to tell if I was being genuine just by seeing my expression. I instinctively held my breath and kept a straight face, not wanting to look as nervous as I really was.

Finally, she released my hand and let me breathe again.

"That's good, Dan," she said. "I'm glad you're willing to work with me."

"Yeah..." I trailed off as I rubbed the feeling back into my fingers.

"Are you going to drink your hot chocolate, Dan?"

I blinked. "Oh, yeah." I had forgotten I had even ordered it. It sat there in front of me on the table, still steaming despite how long we had been talking. The smell emanating from it was rather enticing, too.

Vye took a bite of her eggs, saying, "It's a good thing everything they make here is piping hot. Otherwise, your hot chocolate wouldn't be all the hot right about now."

"Yeah, no kidding." I grasped the mug of chocolatey goodness carefully in my hands and took a careful sip. It was delicious.

As I put the mug down on my saucer and looked back up at Vye to ask her something, I found myself staring down the barrel of what appeared to be a gun.

I didn't even have time to react. Vye didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. All I heard was the sound of the gun going off before something hit me in the head. I felt my head snap back as my mind went blank. The humble interior of Lola's coffee house faded into nothingness as my vision faded to black.

* * *

When I opened my eyes again, I was sitting in a comfy leather swivel chair, alive and well, calm as could be. Though the room I was in was unfamiliar to me, it wasn't uncomfortable or unsettling. In fact, it was pleasant in a strange way, like I had been here many times before and had simply forgotten.

It was a small room arranged like an office. A simple but beautifully crafted mahogany desk stood in front of me, its surface cluttered with sketchbooks, pencils, black ink pens, and other little odds and ends. Books of all sorts were stacked somewhat precariously on one side of the desktop, and on the other sat a sleek, powerful-looking desktop computer.

Vye sat across from me in a jet black lounging chair, her legs crossed and her eyes on me. She had a pleasant smile on her face and a clipboard in her lap, and was busy twirling a ballpoint pen between her fingers. To my surprise, I didn't immediately think that she was intruding. Far from it. It actually felt like she was a guest, that I had invited her here.

But I hadn't.

The dreamlike haze I was in quickly faded as I inspected the room more closely. I began to realize that I had never actually seen this room before. Aside from the desk, there were bookcases all along the walls, the shelves littered with framed pieces of art, photographs, and other odds and ends.

On the other side of the room, there was a couch and a loveseat, a coffee table, a lamp, a bowl of fruit, and a gigantic plasma widescreen TV that was mounted on the wall. Looking behind me, I found a silver mini-fridge and a glass cabinet displaying countless items. Looking in the fridge, I found some iced tea in a can, and in the cabinet I found everything from gaming consoles to stuffed animals.

Strangely, there were no doors or windows in the room. Though it had no bed or bathroom, somehow, I could see myself living in this room for the rest of my life. No, it was more like I _did_ live here, and it was only now that I was realizing it.

"Welcome to your conscious mind, Dan," I heard Vye say from behind me.

I turned to her only to find that she was standing close to me now, her hand on my shoulder. "My conscious mind?"

She smirked that passive-aggressive smirk of hers. "What did I say about repeating what I say?"

A chuckle escaped my lips. "Sorry. I'm just confused. My mind is up here," I said, pointing to my head for emphasis, "And I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a mini-fridge in it."

"Normally, you'd be right. But right now, you couldn't be any more wrong." She gestured at the walls around us, leading my eye around the room once again. "This room is the culmination of your being, a representation of who you are."

"How vague and mysterious," I said with a grin.

"I would argue that my description was fairly straightforward."

"Sure, but that doesn't mean I understand it."

"Allow me to elaborate, then." She gestured at the glass shelving at the back of the room. "Encased here are your most treasured possessions, items that have inspired you to become who you are as a person, tokens of your past that have shaped your personality and your views on life and love."

I looked in the cabinet. Aside from gaming consoles and stuffed animals from my childhood, there were other more curious items, including the first suit I ever wore, the first drawing I ever made, my writing notebook from high school, and, to my chagrin, my engagement ring. It hurt to see that among everything else, but for better or worse, being with Evie had definitely had a part to play in crafting my persona and my outlook on life.

"I see. What about the bookcases? Are the books equivalent to memories?"

"No, actually. Your memories are stored in the computer on your desk. The bookcases hold your philosophies, your beliefs, and everything you know and strive to know."

I had to raise an eyebrow at that. "You think everything I know and believe would comprise more than just a couple of bookcases."

"The books hold much more than the sum of their pages within them, as they hold every single thought you have ever had, and constantly catalogue your thoughts as you think them. The number of books matters little compared to the infinite number of pages that comprise each individual book. As human beliefs constantly change, so too do the number and content of books in your collection."

Right as she finished her statement, one of the books in a bookcase closer to the TV glowed with a dim pink light. It flashed briefly, then became inert. I looked back to Vye, who nodded in approval.

"I believe that book is about your beliefs regarding fairies and magic," she said.

I scratched my chin thoughtfully as I looked around the room a second time. If the glass shelves held vital influences on my life, and the bookshelves held my thoughts, the computer was undoubtedly my conscious mind or some kind of apparatus for it. That didn't explain everything, however; why on Earth was there a TV in my head?

"I'm sure you've guessed by now that the computer on your desktop represents your control over your own body, and that it stores data that doesn't necessarily belong in the bookcases or the glass cabinets. It houses experiences, recent memories, and receives, stores, and interprets emotional, physical, and mental data. In essence, it is who you are and how you are represent yourself to others compressed and stored in a way that your mind can easily make sense of."

"Is this sort of like when people say the human brain is the most complicated machine on Earth?"

"Indeed. Your mind encompasses all that you are. This room represents a small portion of your mind, but it is the only part you as a human can fully access, and you can only enter this space consciously due to my magic."

My book on fairies and magic once again flashed pink, no doubt because I had learned something new about that subject.

"What about my subconscious?"

"Subconscious actions and dreams are recorded and stored inside the computer as well, although the recordings aren't always perfect. If you were to enter your subconscious mind with this avatar," she said as she poked me in the arm, "You would be entering a chaotic, ever-changing world. It is a nonsensical mess of a realm that changes based on an infinite number of factors."

"Yikes."

"Your conscious mind is far more stable, which is the main reason why I brought you here."

I blinked. I had forgotten. The breakfast at Lola's, the request for help, the gunshot.

"Why _did_ you bring me here?"

"To give you access to the most powerful love fairy magic a human can wield: The Grid."

"The...what?"

Vye snapped her fingers, causing hot pink sparks to shoot out of her hand. The sparks danced through the air before careening into the wall the TV was mounted on. Suddenly, the wall began to shift, the TV moving slowly downward until it was swallowed by the floor.

In the space behind the wall sat a smooth slab of black granite, and etched into it was what I could only assume to be the aforementioned Grid. It was a large grid composed of fifty-six squares that appeared to be about half a foot long on all sides. There was a space just below the grid that ran from the left side to about halfway across, and below that were three more spaces, each of them bearing a different symbol.

The first and largest space held what looked to be an anatomically correct recreation of a human heart that was tinged with a pale rose color. The second space was the smallest, and bore what appeared to be a clockwork bell rendered in gold. The last space had a symbol that could have been a water droplet colored blue, but something told me that it wasn't that simple. To the right of these spaces were six more six inch by six inch squares, two per column and three per row. They were empty, but they seemed to be important, as they had their own place in the design and format of this strange carving.

"What is this?" was all I could think to ask.

"This is the apparatus with which you can harness love fairy magic to affect the real world. It has many names, but I prefer to call it The Grid."

"Wait, I get to use magic? Your magic?"

"Yes." She shot me a smile. "Do you remember how I laughed at your comment about playing by my rules?"

It took me a second to recall that conversation after everything that had happened. Thinking about it, I hadn't yet gotten a straight answer to my question about why she thought that was funny. Something told me her answer would put this whole Grid thing into perspective.

"Yeah, why?"

"It's time I finally show you what I meant."

* * *

When I opened my eyes again, I was still sitting on my side of the booth, with Vye across from me. She was still munching quietly on her breakfast platter, looking up at me now and again. I blinked rapidly as I inspected my surroundings. Nothing had changed, but it felt like I was forgetting something. It was like I had zoned out for a few minutes.

"Something on your mind, Dan?"

Vye was looking at me intently now, though not in a threatening way.

I thought about it for a moment. "No," I said as I took a sip of my hot chocolate, "Nothing."


End file.
